Beer Journal #42: Oscar's Stout, 1554, 8-Ball Stout, Piercing Pils, Pumpkin Porter, Celebration, Jalapeno Pepper Ale, Hop Happy & More

Pumpkin Porter
Alaskan Brewing Co.
Juneau, AK

I selected this brew on the first day of 2015.
 Happy New Year to All!

Fresh off the label:
7% ALC/VOL
"Ale brewed with pumpkin, brown sugar and spices"

My thoughts:
I love the turquoise pickup delivering a blue-ribbon pumpkin to the Alaska State Fair.

Piercing Pils
A Czech-style Pilsner
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc.
Milton, DE

I sipped this beer on 1/2/15.

Fresh off the label:
6% Alc. by Vol.
"A Czech-style Pilsner brewed with pear juice, pear tea and Saaz hops."

My thoughts:
I like the looks of this simply presented beer label. (The colors are a bit deeper than they appear in this photo).

Eight-Ball Stout
Lost Coast Brewery
Eureka, CA

On 1/2/15, I opted to enjoy this Eight-Ball in a glass rather than running into one on a pool table.

Fresh off the label:
Alcohol by volume 5.8%
"This rich, robust stout is made with Pale Malted Barley, Oatmeal, Roasted and Chocolate Malts, Pacific Northwest Hops, Crystal Clear Mountain Water and Ale Yeast."

My thoughts:
The label boasts of Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe on 617 4th Street in Eureka, CA. Now that would be a fun place to visit.

1554
Black Lager
New Belgium Brewing 
Fort Collins, CO

I polished off my bottle of 1554 on 1/3/15.

Fresh off the label:
ALC 5.6% BY VOL
Enjoy by: Mar 15
"A Belgian book from 1554 would inspire this Black Lager recipe. Brewed back to life, 1554 immediately made fans with its surprisingly light taste and dry, chocolaty finish."
"New Belgium's Employee Owners would love you to stop by the brewery at 500 Linden, Fort Collins, CO."

My thoughts:
The row of building fronts on the label is fun.

true brit IPA
Summit Brewing Co.
St. Paul, MN

My second beer on 1/3/15 was this IPA.

Fresh off the label:
"Proudly brewing beer since 1986."
The bottle lists the ingredients but I can't see them all. The store price label covers part of the list. I do see water, barley, hops and yeast.

My thoughts:
The pretty blue and brown colors, the buildings and the smoke-belching vessel crossing the waters of Lake Michigan are pleasant to observe on the label as I sip.

Walter's Premium Pilsener
Northwoods Brewing Corp, LLC.
Eau Claire, WI

On 1/3/15, after two sips, I dumped this beer down the drain. It tasted like vinegar and that's not natural for a beer, no way.

The label was mostly mute except for this:

"Superior Quality"

My thoughts:
I believe something had gone wrong after this beer was brewed and previous to the day I popped the cap.

Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Sand Creek Brewing Co.
Black River Falls, WI

I could be seen on 1/4/15 with this beer.

Fresh off the label:
"Real Wisconsin Beer"
"Product of USA"

My thoughts:
I like the black bear and the bear paw on the label.

Celebration
Fresh Hop IPA
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA & Mills River, NC

I celebrated with Celebration IPA on 1/5/15.

Fresh off the label:
"Purest Ingredients"   "Finest Quality"
"2014 Celebration Fresh Hop IPA is a special ale for the holidays. It features the first hops of the growing season. This pioneering ale is full of complex flavors and aromas from the generous use of whole-cone American hops."
"PKGD 10/24/14"
"We first brewed Celebration IPA in the winter of 1982. Each year, we use only the first fresh hops of the growing season to create this complex and robust ale. Layered pine and citrus hop aromas balance delicately against rich, malt sweetness to shape this bold wintertime classic."

My thoughts:
I love the cabin in the snowy, winter setting and the beautiful colors combined in the label design.

Can you tell that I have more interest in the labels than the beer itself? Of course you can! It's strange, but true. What can I say?

Jalapeno Pepper Ale
Beer with Jalapenos added
Bent River Brewery, L.L.C.
Rock Island, IL

My throat burned a bit as I drank this beer on 1/6/15.

Fresh off the label:
Alc. 4.81% by Vol.
IBU 20.4
"200 pounds of fire-roasted peppers go into each batch of our Jalapeno Wheat Ale. This medium-bodied beer is well-balanced, capturing the fruitiness of the pepper up front and ending with a bold, spicy finish."
"The 'River Staff' of Bent River Brewing Company are stubbornly dedicated to producing quality handcrafted beers that capture the true spirit of brewing."

My thoughts:
I drank this beer on a nearly empty stomach. It would have been perfect with tortilla chips. I was startled to see pepper settlings in the bottom of my glass. I tossed them down the drain.

Captain Jalapeno Pepper manning the boat through fiery waters is quite an impressive sight.

Hop Happy
IPA
Milwaukee Brewing Co.
Milwaukee, WI

I enjoyed this beer on 1/7/15 and was happy doing it.

Fresh off the label:
"That's local flavor"
@MKEBREWCO   #LUVMKECRAFT   MKEBREWING.COM

My thought:
Hop Happy is a downright delightful name for an IPA.  

American I.P.A.
Wisconsin Brewing Co.
Verona, WI

It was on 1/8/15 that I poured this glass of American IPA.

Fresh off the label"
ALC. 7.1% BY VOL.
IBU: 60
The neck label has "002" within the state silhouette. Why, I don't know.

My thoughts:
I like the wood-grain label background. I would, wouldn't I!

 .

Franziskaner Naturtrub
Premium Hefe-Weissbier
Spaten-Brau
Munich, Germany

I had this imported beer on 1/8/15.

Fresh off the label:
"In accordance with the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516"
"From Munich since 1363"
"Imported by Import Brands Alliance, St. Louis, MO"
"Always Enjoy Responsibly"

My thoughts:
The robed character seems to be truly enjoying his mug of Franziskaner Naturtrub. 

India Pale Ale
Bridgeport Brewing Co.
Portland, OR

I drank this IPA on 1/9/15.

Fresh from the label:
5.5% ALC BY VOL
"Oregon's oldest craft brewery"
"Five floral hop varieties"   "Bottle conditioned"
"Consume our Passion"
"This award-winning double-fermented ale sparkles with effervescence. We brew passion into every bottle, so hold this golden hero high as your taste buds sample perfection."
"Floral and hoppy, delightfully complex, smooth and satisfying"

CHEERS!!!!